Town Hall

What is the Town Hall for?

It was built in 1887 as a “Town Hall, Institute, Technical School, Free Library and other like purposes” for the use of the inhabitants of Buckfastleigh. It is run as a charity known as the Buckfastleigh Town Hall and Institute.

Who manages it?
In 1952, Buckfastleigh Town Council became the trustees of the charity which means that the Town Councillors have responsibility for managing the Town Hall.

Who pays for it?
In 2016/17, it cost £38,218 to run the Town Hall. This money comes mostly from rental income:
– Library rent – £4,000
– Town Council Offices – £7,140
– Letting out of rooms to the public – £18,394
Total rental income: £29,535
This income does not cover the full cost of running the Town Hall. The rest of the money comes from a grant given by the Town Council that comes from your Council Tax. In 2018 the town hall needed a series of repairs and improvements to make it safe and the grant from the Town Council is £16,000.

Who uses the Town Hall?
All kinds of people! Apart from housing the library and the Town Council offices, there are regular classes such as pilates, yoga, aikido, circuit training, keep fit and zumba. Other groups rent a room occasionally e.g drama groups, choirs, art workshops. Once a month the Cinema Club takes over the Town Hall to show a film and serve refreshments. Others hire the whole building or one room for birthday parties, dances or fundraising balls. In the summer holidays, there are a range of activities for young people which take place in the Town Hall (bouncy castle, cooking, etc.)

What is planned for the Town Hall in the future?
There is a lot to do to manage a big old building like this and the Town Council have decided to separate the Trust into a completely independent organisation to make sure that the right people in the town are involved in it’s management. There will be a new set of trustees setup that will make decisions in future about how the building is used, changes that need to be made, etc.
If you are interested in becoming involved with helping manage the Town Hall, please talk to someone at the Town Hall (01364 388017) or else email admin@nullbuckfastleigh.gov.uk